Brent S
Second Unit
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 309
- Real Name
- Brent Seguine
Warner Archive has two THE MAN FROM ATLANTIS collections available for pre-order, July 26 release date. - TV Movies Collection - The Complete Series
Are they the usual single-layer discs or dual-layer?MattHR said:I forgot to mention the packaging and menu designs have been greatly improved over previous WBA releases. The early WBA releases all shared a generic-looking blue background graphic for their packaging, and a simplistic template was used for their menus. Later releases ditched the blue background for the front cover (keeping it for the spine and back cover). The last few WBA titles I've received have completely redesigned packaging and menus, and show-specific color disc labels—making them more attractive and looking like traditional releases. Man From Atlantis features the newer packaging and menu designs. The "Movie Collection" is only two discs and the "Complete Series" set is on four discs. They could have been released as a "Complete Collection" in a six-disc set, but I'm not complaining. I'm just happy to finally have them all in such great quality.
They're all DL except for the last disc of the series set (only 2 eps on that one).AndyMcKinney said:Are they the usual single-layer discs or dual-layer?
Although that's a plus as far as bitrate goes, aren't dual-layer -/+R discs less reliable than their single-layer cousins? I can understand wanting to keep the disc count down, but I worry about reliability.MattHR said:They're all DL except for the last disc of the series set (only 2 eps on that one).
This is my first experience with DL DVD-R. I've always been concerned over the longevity of recordable discs vs. manufactured ones, with DL being a bit more worrisome. I have discs that I recorded over five years ago that still play fine, although a few of them work better in some players than others. I'm not sure if it's a sign of the media failing or hardware compatibility issues. I finished watching the four MFA pilot movies, and scanned through a few more episodes. The quality of the transfers is truly amazing. I'd rank them with the best ones I've seen from Paramount (Barnaby Jones, Hawaii 5-0). On the second movie, at the 1:52 point at the beginning, there was a slight freeze during playback. It appears to be the layer change point, but it stalled for a bit longer than normal. It would seem odd to have the layer change at that point, since the disc only contains two 90-minute movies that should each be on its own layer. Maybe someone else can check to see if that brief pause is at the same point on their copy. Another nice change is that WB placed chapter markers at the commercial break-points, rather than the previous norm of 5-minute intervals for their MOD releases. It's just an all-around excellent presentation of a MOD release. :tu:AndyMcKinney said:Although that's a plus as far as bitrate goes, aren't dual-layer -/+R discs less reliable than their single-layer cousins? I can understand wanting to keep the disc count down, but I worry about reliability.
That is very troubling if that is truly where the layer change is. It makes absolutely no sense to place one there, when they could place it in between the two movies. The only reason I can see is a purely selfish one (perhaps making it a little more inconvenient for people to pirate or back-up the discs). Then again, WB may have no idea where the layer change is. I know with earlier Doctor Who releases, the Restoration Team always sent notes to the authoring house as to where to put the layer change (usually, between episodes), and when the discs hit the shelves, their instructions were ignored and placed mid-episode somewhere, until finally one day the layer changes were moved to be in-between episodes like they should be. I'd really like to own this show, but these dual layer discs (given they're -R rather than pressed) might be a deal breaker.MattHR said:On the second movie, at the 1:52 point at the beginning, there was a slight freeze during playback. It appears to be the layer change point, but it stalled for a bit longer than normal. It would seem odd to have the layer change at that point, since the disc only contains two 90-minute movies that should each be on its own layer. Maybe someone else can check to see if that brief pause is at the same point on their copy.
I don't see how the location of the layer change would negatively impact pirating or backing up a disk. To any software it is just files to be copied. Now to actually create a disk and force files to specific locations on the disk I think would take a bit more work then a straight copy. So I think it is more about what is easiest to do then trying to be inconvenient. I have the disks so I will have to check out that spot, but I haven't noticed a layer change on any disks for many years now. I've just assumed most players these days had sufficient buffers to make any layer change delay no longer perceptible. Of course it is still possible it isn't a layer change at all.AndyMcKinney said:That is very troubling if that is truly where the layer change is. It makes absolutely no sense to place one there, when they could place it in between the two movies. The only reason I can see is a purely selfish one (perhaps making it a little more inconvenient for people to pirate or back-up the discs). Then again, WB may have no idea where the layer change is. I know with earlier Doctor Who releases, the Restoration Team always sent notes to the authoring house as to where to put the layer change (usually, between episodes), and when the discs hit the shelves, their instructions were ignored and placed mid-episode somewhere, until finally one day the layer changes were moved to be in-between episodes like they should be. I'd really like to own this show, but these dual layer discs (given they're -R rather than pressed) might be a deal breaker.
I think there are persistent rumors of a Logan's Run theatrical remake, and maybe that's what's stalling the dvd release. Right now it's supposedly in the works for 2014 starring Ryan Gosling and Rose Byrne. And that doesn't make the least bit of sense, because in the remake, they're going back to the book and having Last Day be at age 21. Ryan Gosling is almost 31 and Rose Byrne just turned 32! Likely they'll have to recast before/if this thing ever gets off the ground. But I have zero interest in the remake--I just want to see the tv show on dvd--especially the last few episodes which I never got to see.AndyMcKinney said:Glad I didn't buy their stand-alone pilot disc when it came out. I just knew the rest would be along later and already had the pilot on the old VHS release. I'm kind of surprised they're putting this out before Logan's Run, since that one had already been mentioned as "in the works"...